TRIP REPORT TO THE CZECH REPUBLIC & SLOVAKIA - May 1997 By Phil Richards 101471,731 Saturday 10 May 1997 Ashford International -- 0753 3013/4 9110 0653 London Waterloo - Bruxelles-Midi Bruxelles-Midi 1126 1216 2005 EC97 1216 Bruxelles-Midi - Zürich HB Luxembourg 1449 1459 15003 EC97 1216 Bruxelles-Midi - Zürich HB Metz-Ville 1544 1703 X4761 64175 1703 Metz-Ville - Saarbrücken Hbf Saarbrücken Hbf 1814 1851 181.206 RE3909 1851 Saarbrücken Hbf - Mannheim Hbf Mannheim Hbf 2010 2037 143.819 SE3381 1854 Homburg (Saar) Hbf - Heidelberg Hbf Heidelberg Hbf 2055 2117 111.058 IR2472 1749 Konstanz - Frankfurt (Main) Hbf Frankfurt (Main) Hbf 2211 2323 111.087 D451 2323 Frankfurt/M Hbf - Warszawa Wschodnia Week long trip to cover more in the Czech Republic plus a first time look at Slovakia, a country which apart from passing through the once had until now been one I've never had a chance to visit. I met Mark Herriot at Ashford who was heading off for Magdeburg and a two week long trip around Germany and Benelux. The slow crawl through the tunnel was followed by the Eurostar taking the Belgian high speed line as far as Antoing then up through Mons before arriving on time at Midi. Mark and I then went our own ways as I headed off for Germany via Luxembourg and Metz. My plan had been to pick up EC55 at Metz as a +10 to take it as far as Neustadt (Weinstraße) to get some required track but the Belgians soon put stop to that after signal problems at Namur where we stood for 20 minutes before a totter as far as Arlon arriving in Luxembourg 30 late. Needless to say the SNCF never held the connection and ended up by taking a kart as far as Saarbrucken followed a straight forward run to Frankfurt where I picked up my overnight, D451. Sunday 11 May 1997 My entry in to the Czech Republic was via the two trains a day crossing at Ebersbach although the line runs right beside the station at Jiríkov where most from Rumburk terminate and from there it is only a short distance to walk to Ebersbach. No passport grippers in sight at Rumburk as I take the first of numerous silenced "Goggles" (class 750/754) as far as Bakov. The rest of the day is spent mainly covering kart lines as I work my way right up towards the Polish border at a town called Teplice. I was relying heavily on the guide book of the Czech Republic and Slovakia I had and according to the book there were plenty of Pensions in Teplice. After a long treck from the station I found one who said they were full, though I never believed them, I eventually ended up in the town itself. The one proper hotel said they were full too, but I learned later that they had their water supplies cut off hence were not open for business. After locating another Pension which was locked up I eventually felt like giving up and decided to phone up a hotel I passed on the way in to Teplice a couple of stops back. They said they had rooms free so after a beer I took the train back from the town station to Skály which is in a huge valley of unusual rock formations. Got to the hotel only to find it locked up and only after much persuasion (in German) did they end up letting me in. But from there onwards I was looked after well. Leipzig Hbf 0354 0419 ???.??? D451 2323 Frankfurt/M Hbf - Warszawa Wschodnia Dreseden-Neustadt 0548 0602 232.580 D451 2323 Frankfurt/M Hbf - Warszawa Wschodnia Löbau (Sachs) 0708 0727 202.533 RB7007 0727 Löbau (Sachs) - Zittau Ebersbach (Sachs) 0749 0843 810.333 6641 0843 Ebersbach (Sachs) - Rumburk Rumburk 0854 0900 750.395 6035 0900 Rumburk - Bakov nad Jizerou Bakov nad Jizerou 1113 1118 842.021 9508 1047 Turnov - Praha hl.n. Mladá Boleslav hl.n. 1129 1134 801.241 6017 1134 Mladá Boleslav hl.n. - Nymburk hl.n. Nymburk hl.n. 1219 1320 141.052 951 1213 Praha-Smíchov - Hradec Králové Chlumec nad Cidlinou 1356 1359 853.019 5707 1359 Chlumec nad Cidlinou - Trutnov hl.n. Trutnov hl.n. 1652 1718 810.204 15765 1718 Trutnov hl.n. - Teplice nad Metují Teplice nad Metují 1824 -- Teplice nad M. zast. -- 2013 810.302 15768 2010 Teplice nad Orlicí - Trutnov hl.n. Teplice nad M. skály 2017 -- Monday 12 May 1997 The hotel owner ran me back to the main station at Teplice in his car where I then had succession of hauled trains including a very loud 749.248 from Hanusovice, pity most of the run was down hill. After a very tight connection at Trebovice, I though I was going to have karts for the rest of the day but more unsilenced 749 haulage from Dzbel where I secured the front compo to myself. The line twists and turns, most of it is in thick woodland, well worth covering. The train back out of Prostejov was formed of the same 749 + coaches returning to Chornice with the DMU coupled on the back of the set which was detached at Kostelec taking a rather long way round to Olomouc. Noted a decent looking hotel directly outside the station at Olomouc and was fixed up with a room for the night within minutes of leaving the station (see end of report for details). Teplice nad Metují -- 0758 750.285 5111 0735 Mezimestí - Hradec Králové Týniste nad Orlicí 0931 0944 754.079 959 0944 Týniste nad Orlicí - Jeseník Hanusovice 1136 1404 749.248 902 1053 Jeseník - Brno hl.n. Zábreh na Morave 1240 1256 163.062 5006 1140 Prerov - Pardubice Trebovice v Cechách 1335 1337 810.106 24579 1326 Ceská Trebová - Chornice Chornice 1436 1443 810.141 24723 1443 Chornice - Dzbel Dzbel 1458 1500 749.254 24711 1500 Dzbel - Prostejov hl.n. Prostejov hl.n. 1552 1620 749.254 3812 1620 Prostejov hl.n. - Olomouc hl.n. Kostelec na Hané 1631 1636 851.026 3812 1620 Prostejov hl.n. - Olomouc hl.n. Olomouc hl.n. 1823 -- Tuesday 13 May 1997 Headed for Slovakia this morning taking the route via Horní Lidec, again no passport grip at all. So I managed to get from Britain all the way to Slovakia with just one passport grip (Bruxelles). Arrived at Púchov, my first ZSR move was 30 late, managed to stock up on food from the shop on the station who quite happily took Czech Koruna on a one to one rate for Slovak ones despite the Czech being worth a bit more. Despite pulling into Vrútky 30 down, my planned +7 was held but I decided to reject it since it was a kart and decided to get some money changed up instead. Took silenced 751.201 hauling one DMU trailer on the highly scenic route to Zvolen before a very long run to Kosice via the route which parallels the Hungarian border. Train nice and empty, crossed by with no end of freights, in some cases 3 or 4 were waiting in some yards to pass. After about a 20 late arrival in Kosice, I manage to get a room fairly easily albeit in a right dump of a place which is definitely not going to be used again! Olomouc hl.n. -- 0732 163.243 1823 0732 Olomouc hl.n. - Vsetín Vsetín 0900 0902 163.243 3255 0902 Vsetín - Púchov Púchov 1000 1006 363.178 603 0805 Bratislava hl.st. - Kosice Vrútky 1108 1230 751.201 1853 1230 Vrútky - Zvolen os.st. Zvolen os.st. 1408 1457 754.010 803 1140 Bratislava hl.st. - Kosice Kosice 1817 -- Wednesday 14 May 1997 The overnight from Praha was over 30 late but didn't cause any problems though what were 5 minute connections along the way still got held. The move from Humenné to Kysak was hauled as far as Presov where everyone got turned off and directed to an EMU. All became apparent as we approached Kysak, the direct line was completely dug up so we took the curve leading on to the line towards Poprad and reversed, hence the use of a unit. The long run from Margecany to Zvolen was the one through "fast" train each day which covers this long route through some very spectacular scenery. Arrived in Zvolen not really knowing what it would have on offer in the way of hotels (it is not mentioned in any guide book despite being a fairly large town) but located a rather good place about 10 minutes from the station which made up for last nights dump! Kosice -- 0915 163.058 227 2242 Praha hl.n. - Medzilaborce Bánovce nad Ondavou 1015 1027 754.056 227 2242 Praha hl.n. - Medzilaborce Humenné 1107 1224 754.032 1913 1224 Humenné - Kosice Presov 1346 1400 460.039 +460.040 1913 1224 Humenné - Kosice Kysak 1418 1454 163.058 810 1440 Kosice - Bratislava hl.st. Margecany 1508 1520 754.055 810 1440 Kosice - Bratislava hl.st. Zvolen os.st. 1925 -- Thursday 15 May 1997 Up early to start of with a couple of kart moves, the first ones in Slovakia. After an hour or so at Prievidza I took 750.238 and soon after departure the gripper made a general announcement babbling out the familiar word "Autobussy!" After last years trip I knew it was a common enough occurrence and considering I had made it so far without a bus for a least some part of a journey I ought to consider myself lucky! The bus journey was very short, two stations in fact but annoying none the less if, like me your after the track. It put the forwarding train about 10 late and the connection at Nové Zámky was made with no problem. Was a bit disappointed with the line from Komárno to Bratislava, all karts except the through trains to Hungary. We crossed over with another kart which was over 30 late due to having an argument with a lorry on an ungated level crossing, fortunately the lorry came off the worse! A bit of main line thrash from Bratislava to Zillna to complete my moves in Slovakia. After locating a very nice Pizza restaurant I had just one hour to order and eat. No problem? 40 minutes after ordering it finally turns up! Earlier in the week I had tried to book a sleeper on the overnight since it wasn't possible to reserve back in Britain, but by then they were all full so landed up with a couchette which was more like a mortuary slab in a Turkish bath! The night was very hot, but at Ł2 for the couchette a bargain compared with sitting up on plastic seats all night. Zvolen os.st. -- 0628 851.002 2702 0628 Zvolen os.st. - Vrútky Horná Stubna 0746 0800 810.624 21702 0800 Horná Stubna - Prievidza Prievidza 0902 1007 750.238 2204 1007 Prievidza - Nové Zámky Bosany 1104 1104 Bus 2204 1007 Prievidza - Nové Zámky Topolcany 1113 1116 750.166 2204 1007 Prievidza - Nové Zámky Nové Zámky 1306 1312 240.078 12409 1312 Nové Zámky - Komárno Komárno 1340 1501 810.427 +810.438 12306 1501 Komárno - Bratislava-Nové Mesto Bratislava-Nové Mesto 1723 1742 263.012 2528 1742 Bratislava-Nové Mesto - Kúty Bratislava hl.st. 1750 1805 362.001 703 1805 Bratislava hl.st. - Martin Zillna 2044 2156 163.106 422 1825 Kosice - Plzen hl.n. Cadca 2221 2235 ???.??? 422 1825 Kosice - Plzen hl.n. Friday 16 May 1997 Arrived in Plzen spot on time, the next two days were to be in an area swamped with karts but to kick things off a hauled run which again was abruptly broken in two parts with another annoying bus move, this time just one station. Scored rare electric haulage at Zatek with a class 122 which only have a few workings in the area before a series of kart moves. Up to now even when things ran a bit late, everything waited patently and I was beginning to take it for granted that connections at junction stations are more or less guaranteed. Not always the case! Arrived at Kladno about 10 down to find my planned +3 not held and on studying the timetable symbols, the circle with a dot in the middle indicates it does not wait. Replanned to cover the same lines with little extra time lost since I was planning to finish the day in Most quite early, the move on from Kladno was a 714 and former DMU trailers now modified as hauled stock. Arrived in Most, a town more or less re built in recent years, it was boiling hot, the map outside of the station showed the nearest hotel some distance away so I summoned the help of a taxi driver who dropped me at a rather elegant place which turned out to be a real bargain. Prerov 0134 0150 150.025 422 1825 Kosice - Plzen hl.n. Praha hl.n. 0546 0610 363.056 422 1825 Kosice - Plzen hl.n. Plzen hl.n. 0755 0806 750.330 7602 0622 Klatovy - Most Kryry 1010 1010 Bus 7602 0622 Klatovy - Most Vroutek 1017 1017 750.234 7602 0622 Klatovy - Most Zatec 1104 1117 122.040 7602 0622 Klatovy - Most Postolprty 1133 1146 810.149 26705 1146 Postolprty - Louny Louny 1203 1213 810.147 9707 1137 Most - Kralupy nad Vltavou Kralupy nad Vltavou 1349 1410 810.147 +810.587 19808 1410 Kralupy nad Vltavou - Kladno Kladno 1458 1541 714.216 9810 1440 Praha-Masarykovo n. - Rakovník Luzná u Rakovníka 1629 1637 810.666 9862 1637 Luzná u Rakovníka - Chomutov Chomutov 1802 1808 163.100 6817 1808 Chomutov - Ústí nad Labem hl.n. Most 1833 -- Saturday 17 May 1997 Walked back to the station at Most, started off the day with more wheelie bin karts (class 810 - identical to MÁV Bzmots), it was on the run to Becov I had a severe attack of rover brain, or more accurately a severe cock up in the initial plan which never got spotted until too late. I misread the move from Becov to Mariánské Lázne which had the crossed hammers symbol to mean Monday to Saturday (as in the DB, SNCF etc. timetable). Oh no! It only means Monday to Friday! After a quick re plan I knocked any idea of returning to Germany via Cheb and Schirdning on the head since I wanted to get the once per day train via Bad Brambach in. So after some careful explanation to the woman in the bar at Becov, she phoned for a taxi (which had to come from Karlovy Vary) to make my planned move. That more or less cleaned me out of Czech currency but the taxi driver covered what would take an hour by train in about 15 minutes in his taxi! Back on plan, I make the planned move at Mariánske Lázne back to Germany with ease, grab a quick bite to eat in the station restaurant and I left the Czech Republic via this very lightly used back door route. After a week travelling on trains in boiling hot weather where the locals seem to have no objection to having the windows wide open, you could tell we were back in Germany when a group of old women soon protested, one barging right past in front of me and promptly closing the window shut! Don't bother asking, will you! I finished off the rest of the day getting in the line from Aue to Chemnitz, part of which I had missed out on a trip a couple of years back following the infamous Schienersatzverkehr (bus substitution). Had a couchette compartment all to myself for the run to Stuttgart. Most -- 0856 810.149 9705 0856 Most - Kralupy nad Vltavou Louny 0927 0939 810.592 6706 0939 Louny - Rakovník Rakovník 1107 1128 810.288 17606 1128 Rakovník - Becov nad Teplou Becov nad Teplou 1442 -- Taxi Mariánske Lázne -- 1635 242.256 6366 1635 Mariánske Lázne - Chemnitz Hbf Vojtanov 1726 1737 232.600 RB6366 1635 Mariánske Lázne - Chemnitz Hbf Zwickau (Sachs) Hbf 1938 1954 628.591 RB6731 1954 Zwickau/S Hbf - Schwarzenberg/Erzgeb Aue (Sachs) 2032 2112 219.168 RB8827 2112 Aue (Sachs) - Chemnitz Hbf Chemnitz Hbf 2242 2257 155.208 D1560 2145 Dresden Hbf - München Hbf Reichenbach/Vogtl ob Bf 2358 0008 232.??? D1560 2145 Dresden Hbf - München Hbf Sunday 18 May 1997 Uneventful run back home until we entered the Tunnel to find that both bores had been re opened only a day or two earlier. We whizzed through just like days gone by and pulled in to Ashford over 20 early! Nürnberg Hbf 0310 0419 110.492 D1507 2134 Berlin-Lichtenberg - Stuttgart Hbf Stuttgart Hbf 0647 0811 103.169 IC516 0700 Ulm Hbf - Dortmund Hbf Köln Hbf 1129 1214 1608 D422 1214 Köln Hbf- Oostende +2381 Banker at Ličge Bruxelles-Midi 1455 1538 3019/20 9145 1538 Bruxelles-Midi - London Waterloo Ashford International 1724 -- Conclusions: Apart from the uncomfortable hot conditions all week plus the minor setbacks, overall it turned out to be an enjoyable trip. Both countries are extremely cheap and Ł20 or so for a room in a good hotel plus Ł5 or Ł6 at the absolute most for a decent meal with beer are about the two biggest outlays you'll need to budget for on a day by day basis. That's the good part. The trouble is really knowing what to cover and to be honest picking out lines to cover, you'll spoilt for choice as you look at the maps (Czech Republic especially) and see a maze of lines. If you're after loco haulage most of it is fairly unexciting - mostly silenced 750s/754s, but you are not going to get that many lines done, although a much larger proportion of Slovakia is hauled with DMUs generally concentrated on the dead end branches and secondary routes. The Czech Republic is just the opposite, numerous trains, some very long distance are DMUs in particular those to the north and east of Praha, but none the less out of the blue some local stoppers are hauled. The ever annoying bus substitution is more or less unavoidable, in both cases on this trip I had no forewarning until it was too late though as a rule of thumb it is normally Monday to Friday only and affects only stopping trains. Timekeeping was a bit poor, though everything all seemed to connect except for the one instance when it was advertised not to do so, so you can be rest assured any plan will more or less work. There are several overnights, so plenty of options there although hotel accommodation is not exactly in great abundance if you end up in a moderate to large town not too late there is usually something, I had no problems other than the first night. Most hotels speak little or no English, German often does the trick however. Hotels Used: In each and every case all rooms were doubles and single rooms to be very scarce. Most hotel receptions will point it out, others may say no single rooms free, so the best advise is to state you're quite happy to pay for a double if that is the only option. Telplice nad Metují: Hotel Orlík, Teplické Skály, Teplice nad Metují. Phone: +420 447 93366 Fax: +420 447 93306. 306 CZK = 7.00 GBP approx. for use of a triple room with washbasin, bathroom/WC at end of passage way. Rate included a breakfast. Directions: Situated about 200 metres from Teplice nad Metují Skály station (CD table 047), although there are one or two pensions near by it would be wise to check first to see if they had rooms free first. After all the hassle in finding somewhere to stay in the area, it turned out to be a good deal, very clean. Olomouc: Hotel Sigma, Jeremenkova 36, 77211 Olomouc. Phone: +420 68 5232076/7/8/9, 5232100 Fax: +420 68 5231725. 1200 CZK = 27.00 GBP approx. for single use of twin room with WC, shower and buffet breakfast (from 0700). Directions: Literally facing the main station entrance across the opposite side of the tram terminus. Kosice: Hotel Europa, Protifauistickych bojovinkov 1, Kosice. Phone: +421 95 6223897. 570 SKK = GBP 10.00 approx. for use of twin room with wash basin. WC/Showers along passage way. No breakfast. Directions: Out of station, straight ahead and walk through small park, hotel is on left hand side soon after crossing over a bypass road. Walking time about 5 mins. A complete dump, room was clean but showers/toilets pretty disgusting. There are a couple of tower block style hotels to edge of town centre not too further on which look to be the best ones, though no idea of price. Zvolen: Hotel Polana, Námesti SNP 64/2, 96001 Zvolen. Phone: +421 855 320069/320091/320350/320871/320124/321900 Fax: +421 855 320777: 1380 SKK = 25.00 GBP approx. for single use of a twin room with WC/shower/breakfast (from 0630 - not taken). Out of station, turn right in to main road leading to town, hotel is on left hand side at the cross roads. Approx. 10 mins walk. Most: Hotel Murom, Námesti Velki mostecki stávky, 43401 Most. Phone: +420 35 42444 Fax: +42 35 42137. 960 CZK = 21.00 GBP approx. for single use of twin room with WC, shower, TV. Breakfast was extra. Directions: Out of station, follow road that leads away station towards the new town for approx. 1 km, hotel can be seen on left hand side across a large open space. 20 minutes walk. Excellent, large modern hotel and quite a good price. Restaurant was good too, caters well for German speakers. Report by: Phil Richards CSi ID: 101471,731 Internet: http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/Philip_Richards